Proposed Timeline

April 28, 2014 - Virginia SCC grants approval to rebuild the existing line within existing right of way

February 2015 - Initiate building construction activities

Spring 2016 - Energize line

Loudoun-Pleasant View

The project involves a crucial 13-mile line through Loudoun County, which is nearing the end of expected life and requires replacement to maintain reliability.

Needs

Aging infrastructure - This line was built in the mid-1960s and the structures are approaching the end of their expected service life.

Growth in local and regional demand - Dominion Energy's service territory continues to be one of the fastest growth areas in PJM and Loudoun County.

Benefits

Reduces the risk of a major failure of the high-voltage network

Improves local and regional electric reliability

Increases capacity of the lines through the corridor

Overview

Dominion Energy's service territory continues to be one of the fastest growth areas in PJM and Loudoun County is still experiencing above average electrical growth, primarily driven by data center development. The proposed Loudoun-Pleasant View 500kV Rebuild Project reduces the risk of a major failure of the region's high-voltage network without the need to obtain additional easements.

Approval is required by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). An application was filed with the SCC in October 2013 and approval for construction was provided by the SCC Final Order received April 28, 2014.

For more information on construction activities on the eastern half of this same corridor, refer to the Brambleton-Mosby Project.

The south terminal substation for the new line will be Mosby (adjacent to Loudoun) and the north terminal substation will be Goose Creek (near Pleasant View). At the conclusion of the project, the rebuilt 500 kV Loudoun-Pleasant View Line #558 will be split and renamed as Brambleton-Goose Creek Line #558 and Brambleton-Mosby Line #590.

Construction Updates

Brambleton – Loudoun – The Brambleton to Loudoun portion of this project is re-energized and back in service. Work continues at the Brambleton Sub; rehab work is also underway.

February 2016

Goose Creek – Brambleton – The Goose Creek to Brambleton portion of this project is re-energized and back in service.

December 2015

Foundations - All foundation work is complete.

Brambleton Substation - Work on the interior equipment of the GIS Enclosure building is underway.

BERM at the Brambleton Substation - The landscape berm, west of the substation was recently approved by Loudoun County and work has begun to shape the berm. Landscape plantings are anticipated to be performed in Spring 2016.

Brambleton Substation - The GIS Enclosure building has been erected and work on the interior equipment has begun. Work hours may increase to seven days a week at times, from now through mid-December. Crews will work Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Weekend hours will begin after 8 a.m. Saturday and after 9 a.m. Sunday. Crews will not work on holiday weekends.

BERM at the Brambleton Substation - Site plans are still pending approval from Loudoun County.

NOVEC Service Center - NOVEC construction activities are progressing along Evergreen Mills Road. Some tree clearing will occur for overhead utility clearance (including phone and cable). A landscaping buffer will be installed at the end of the construction activities. The service center is projected to be completed in 15-18 months.

Foundation work is continuing and approximately 13 foundations have been completed.

Brambleton Substation - The GIS Enclosure building construction has begun inside of the substation fence.

BERM at the Brambleton Substation - The landscape berm, west of the substation enclosure has been designed and will be submitted to Loudoun County for approval. Pending approval, berm construction is scheduled to begin this fall.

Fence - The security enclosure to replace the existing chain-link fence will in part be designed using architectural panel material.

April 2015

Access roads construction continues along the northern end of this corridor between Reservoir Road and the Brambleton Substation on Evergreen Mills Road.

Brambleton Substation - GIS Enclosure building has been approved by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. Work has begun at the substation to prepare for the enclosure.

Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) has received approval to build a service center at the Brambleton Substation location on Evergreen Mills Road. For information related to this project please contact, Kent Cassell, NOVEC Manager, Procurement, Materials and Facilities at 703-392-1592 or kcassell@novec.com.

March 2015

Construction access and Road Building has started at the Pleasant View Substation, moving south toward the Loudoun Substation.

Foundations for the transmission towers will begin in the March/April timeframe, again, starting at Pleasant View and moving south.

Forestry crews will be in the area identifying danger trees beginning in late February.

Contact us to sign up for email notifications and updates to construction activities.

Will tree clearing be necessary for this line?

Some trees and other vegetation in the right of way will be carefully removed prior to construction to ensure safe and reliable operation of the transmission line. Certain types of vegetation outside the right of way that could also threaten the safe and reliable operation of the transmission lines may also need to be removed. Trees located outside of the right of way which are tall enough to potentially impact the transmission lines may be removed. These trees are commonly referred as danger trees. View a diagram of danger tree clearances. Existing low-growing vegetation may be left in place when it does not interfere with construction activities.

Clearing will be accomplished by hand in wetland areas and within 100 feet of streams. Care will be taken not to leave debris in streams or wetland areas. Matting will be used for heavy equipment in these areas, and erosion control devices will be used on an ongoing basis during all clearing activities.

Please note: Dominion Energy’s certified foresters will meet with affected property owners to discuss the plan for trimming and/or removal of trees or vegetation before the work occurs.

Will Dominion Energy repair damage due to construction?

Yes. Our easement agreements allow us access to private roads of property owners crossed by the right of way. The company, at its expense, will repair any private roads damaged by Dominion Energy or its contractors during construction of the line. In addition, we will reimburse property owners for other items such as crop damage, and repair or replace fences or gates if we damage them.

Should I be concerned about electric and magnetic fields?

Dominion Energy is sensitive to public concern about possible health effects from exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMF). Dominion Energy includes data on the levels of both electric and magnetic fields produced by proposed facilities in all applications submitted with the State Corporation Commission (SCC). We continually monitor EMF research and speak to our customers and employees regularly to share the latest information available.

The Virginia SCC, which regulates the construction and operation of electric transmission lines of 138kV and above, considers EMF in every application. Hearing Examiner’s remarks from recent proceedings are below.

May 4, 2010 Hayes-Yorktown (Case Number PUE-2009-00049) Report of Deborah V. Ellenberg, Chief Hearing Examiner, states, "I find that EMF has not been identified as a carcinogen for human beings despite extensive study over many years, and there is, therefore, no basis on which to prohibit the Company from authorizing appropriate uses of its right of way."

August 23, 2011 Hollymead (Case Number PUE-2011-00015) Report of Michael D. Thomas, Hearing Examiner, states, "The proposed facilities do not represent a hazard to human health, which finding is consistent with the Virginia Department of Health’s report entitled Monitoring of Ongoing Research on the Health Effects of High Voltage Transmission Lines (Final Report) dated October 31, 2000."

May 1, 2015 Brambleton-Mosby (Case Number PUE-2014-00086) Report of Howard P. Anderson, Hearing Examiner, states, “Expert panels formed by national and international scientific agencies have evaluated the scientific research related to health and power-frequency EMF and provided conclusions that form the basis of guidance to governments and industries. It is the general scientific consensus of the health agencies reviewing this research that at levels associated with the operation of the proposed transmission line, or other common sources of EMF in the environment, the research does not support the conclusion that EMF causes any long-term, adverse health effects.”

The Virginia Department of Health in its final report evaluating EMF research concluded:

"Based on the review and analysis of the exhaustive literature review and other research projects completed under the EMF-RAPID program, the Virginia Department of Health is of the opinion that there is no conclusive and convincing evidence that exposure to extremely low frequency EMF emanated from nearby high voltage transmission lines is causally associated with an increased incidence of cancer or other detrimental health effects in humans. Even if it is assumed that there is an increased risk of cancer as implied in some epidemiologic studies, the empirical relative risk appears to be fairly small in magnitude and the observed association appears to be tenuous. The studies published in the literature lack clear demonstration of a cause and effect relationship as well as a definitive dose-response gradient."

Are there exposure standards for 60 hertz EMF?

In the United States, there are no federal standards limiting occupational or residential exposure to 60 hertz EMF. At least six states have set standards for transmission line electric fields; two of these also have standards for magnetic fields (see table below). In most cases, the maximum fields permitted by each state are the maximum fields that existing lines produce at maximum load-carrying conditions. Some states further limit electric field strength at road crossings to ensure that electric current induced into large metal objects such as trucks and buses does not represent an electric shock hazard. Of these states, edge of right of way magnetic field standards range from 150-250 mG, see chart below (Source, page 46, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - Electrical and Magnetic Fields).